There are many reasons why football is one of the most popular and successful sports in the world. The key among them is that football is constantly evolving and never stands still. Since the first European Cup was organized in 1955, the UEFA Champions League has evolved to keep up with changes in football in general.
In 2021, the UEFA Champions League took place for the 67th time in its traditional form, including qualifying stage, group stage, playoffs, and final competition. However, the list of favorites of the year has changed – among the contenders for victory were RP Leipzig, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, and Chelsea.
The final took place on May 29, 2021, in Porto, Dragan Stadium. More than 14 thousand spectators watched the determination of the winner live. The London club Chelsea was lucky to win the Champions League title – for the team, this title was already the second after the victory over Bayern in 2012. The rival in the final for Chelsea was Manchester City, which for the first time participated in the final of such a tournament.
According to numerous football experts and the media, the merit of Chelsea’s victory lay in the correct choice of sports tactics. Separately, the contribution of N’Golo Kante, who managed to prevent numerous enemy attacks without a single violation of the rules, is highlighted. After the final competition, the French footballer was named the best player in the match and the main contender for the Ballon d’Or.
UEFA Champions League Betting
The Champions League did not go unnoticed among bookmakers, where betters could control the outcome of sporting events in a live format. UEFA Champions League betting was also available in Parimatch – with a detailed analysis of the teams’ rosters, planned competitions, and the offer of favorable betting conditions.
Due to the high popularity of the event, the bookmaker has prepared for the players:
- A wide selection of painting and lines for group games and the stage of the playoffs;
- The reduced margin on bets, the ability to instantly calculate winnings;
- Several additional tools to analyze events and make forecasts on the site;
- Attractive bonus program;
- Possibility to participate using a mobile application.
In addition, by tradition, Parimatch has provided more winning Champions League odds than other football events, allowing bettors to get good wins even on the main selections.
Further prospects of the Champions League
In the 2024-25 season, the UEFA Champions League will be transformed by the decision of the members of the football community. The key change will be the abandonment of the group stage with 32 participating teams in the traditional form. Until now, the seasons began with dividing the participants into 8 groups of four teams, a single league of 36 clubs is planned for the new season. Thus, 4 more teams will be able to compete for the title of the best team of the year.
There will be no more games of teams with three competitors twice – instead, ten matches will be organized for each club: half at home and a half at a foreign one. The changed format will keep players motivated until the last day of the game.
As before, the selection of teams of participants will take place with an emphasis on the results of past competitions. However, four more places will be drawn according to the following parameters:
- The place will go to the third team in the fifth association in the ranking of the UEFA national associations;
- The second opportunity will go to one of the national champions, increasing the number of those in the League to five;
- Two more tickets will go to the clubs with the highest club odds that have managed to qualify for the Champions League, Conference League, or Europa League.
Eight teams with the best results will be held in the 1/8 finals, but the teams ranked from ninth to twenty-fourth will compete for the right to join them. Successful teams participating in the 1/8 finals will then play against a team from among the top 8 clubs in the general stage.
